Clarkson on the MP4-12C

OK, we all know that the new McLaren is fast, but is it better than the Ferrari 458 Italia? Jeremy decides

Certainly, and thanks to the turbocharging, it always feels
more muscular. If I may be permitted to liken the Ferrari to a kingfisher, then
the MP4-12C is a gannet.

The gearbox isn't that brilliant, though. In the 458, you
just tap the paddle and you have another gear, whereas in the McLaren the
paddles are mounted on the same rocker set-up they use in the F1 cars. So, you
pull the lever a bit which lets the double-clutch gearbox know whether you want
to go up or down the 'box and then you pull it a bit more to actually make the
shift.